Fighting tank



Dec. 25, 1928;

H. A. KNOX FIGHTING TANK Filed Feb. 5,1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1IIIIIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIA -l ww patented Dec. 25, 1928 rienrme TANK.

an s'r rss HARRY A. KNOX, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA.

Application filed February 8, 1926. Serial No. 853783.

(GRAETED OER THE ACT 0]? MARCH -3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30,1928; 8?!)0. a

The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured andused by or for the Government for governmental purposes without thepayment to me of any royalty thereon.

Tlihe subject of this invention is a fighting tan In the presentdevelopment of fighting tanks the smallest unit that has been attemptedhas been the three-ton tank, manning two operators and two guns. Thisvehicle is, in practically every respect, a miniature of the largerones.

A tactical study of the employment of tanks in warfare with aconsideration of the defenses evolved to combat them reveals thepossibilities and importance of a smaller, more mobile machine, capableof being manned by a singleoperator and carrying sufficient armament todeliver an effective fire. To provide such a one-man tank and restrictits weight to one ton or less it is necessary to completely depart fromthe general design and arrangement of the larger tanks.

The present invention contemplates an amphibious, multiple speed tankpossessing the foregoing characteristics and arranged to provide formaneuvering while the armament is kept in action.

T 0 these and other ends, my invention consists in the construction,arrangement, and combination of elements, described hereinafter andpointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a tank constructed inaccordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof, partly in section; and

Fig. 3' is a front view.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference: Y

The tank consists of a body 5 having a cover 6 hinged to its rear wall,and provided with a connin tower 7. The body and the forward end ot thecover jointly carr a ball mount 8 for a machine gun 9 and y thusdividing the mount, the cover may be reused without disturbing the gun.The upper portion of the tank constituting the gun compartment isstreamline to decrease vulnerability from enemy shell tire and to permittraversing of the gun.

The body is mounted-on front wheels 10 and rear wheels '11 and tractionis obtained through an endless metallic belt 12 encirclin the wheels andprovided with space grousers 13.

The motor 14 is placed approximately in the longitudinal center withinthe body and in order to simplify the power unit the drive is taken tothe front wheels ltl'through a twospeed and reverse planetarytransmission 15 whose forward location results in an even distributionof the weight of the tank by counterbalancing the weight of the operatorwhose seat 16 is placed on the floor directly in rear of the motor. Tothe same end the ammunition racks 17, one on each side, are placed inthe center so as to be conveniently accessible and the gas tanks 18,likewise one one each side, are placed at the rear.

In order to conserve space and to enable the operator to manipulate thearmament while maneuvering the tank, the controls for the brake drums 15of the transmission are contained in foot pedals 191919, placed on eachside of the engine in line with the front thereof and are convenientlyreached by the operator who, when seated, straddles the motor. By thisarrangement, the center of gravity is favorably positioned to provide abuoyant unit, propulsion, when in the water, being obtalned by therotation of the tracks, which can produce a speed of six miles per hourdue to the lightness of'the tank. Steering is efiected in the samemanner as on. land by moving one track faster than the other. 1

It has been found after considerable e perimentation that a link trackdoes not function with a front drive because of the areaunder tensionand this is especially true when the link track bears a proper relationto the tank. The rigidity of the metallic track shown renders itparticularly suited to the requirements of the tanl: of the presentapplication.

In order to convey an accurate idea of the size of the tank, it may bestated that it is four feet high, three and one-half feet wide, and hasa road clearance of eight inches. The gun which is butthreefeet abovethe ground is therefore in position to deliver a sweeping fire.- a

While in the foregoing there has been. il-

I lustrated and described such combination and arrangement of elements,as consttiute the preferred embodiment of the invention, it isnevertheless desired to emphasize the fact that interpretation of theinvention should only be conclusive when made in the light of thesubjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A tank including a body, front and rear supporting wheels, endlesstracks encircling the wheels, a motor within the body and positionedatits approximate longitudinal cen ter,'a planetary transmission directlyin front of the motor for communicating power tothe front wheels, a seatfor the operator directly in rear of the motor and on the floor of thebody, 'a plurality of foot controls on both sides of the motor, a coverhinged to the rear wall of the body, said cover and body formed toprovide a streamline gun compartment, and an element of a gun-mountcarried by the body and cover. A

2. A tank including a body, front and rear supporting wheels, endlesstracks encircling the wheels, a motor. within the body and positioned atits approximate longitudinal center, a planetary transmission directlyin front of the motor for communicating power to the front wheels, aseat for the operator directly in rear of the motor and on the floor ofthe body, a lurality offoot controls on both sides of t e motor, acoverhinged to the rear wall of the body, and elements of a gun- I mountcarried by the body and cover.

3. A tank including'a body, front and rear supporting wheels, endlesstracks encircling the wheels, a motor within the body and -p0s1 'tionedat its approximate longitudinal center, a planetary transmissiondirectly in front of the motor for communicating power to'the frontwheels, a seat for the operator directly in rear of themotor and on thefloor of the body, and elements of a gun mount carried by the body andcover.

4. A tank including a body, front and rear supporting wheels, endlesstracks encircling the wheels, a motor within the body, a transmissionfor, communicating power to the a motor therein, a transmission in frontof the motor, a complete set of foot-controls on each side of and at thefront of the motor and an operators seat in rear of the motor.

7. A track laying tank including a. body,

a motor therein, complete set of. foot controls on each side of and atthe front of the motor and an operators seat in rear of the motor.

8. A track laying tank including a body, a motor therein, and a set offoot controls on each side of the motor.

9. A tank including a body, a cover hinged to th rear wall thereof, saidbody and cover forme to provide a streamline gun compartment, andelements of a gun mount carried by the body and cover.

10. A track-laying tank including a body, a cover hinged to the rearwall thereof, and elements of a gun-mount carried by the body and cover.

11. A tank including a body, a motor placed in the approximatelongitudinal center thereof, a gun mounted overthe motor, and ammunitioncompartments formed by extending the body laterally at its ILPPIOXI-Vmate longitudinal center.

.12. An amphibious tank including a body a centrally placed motor, atransmission and 'housing in front of the motor, and an operatoriscompartment and gas tanks in rear of the motor.

13. A tank including a body, a motor on the floor of the body, and aseat on the floor of the body arranged with respect to the motor so thatthe operator must straddle the motor.

HARRY A.- KNOX.

